Professor Romance (Trafalgar Law x Reader)

16 : The Phonecall

The secret library hideout lasted a whole two days before you and Law both agreed the floor, blanketed or not, wasn't very comfortable.

Instead you spent most of your week curled up on the living room sofa, cocooned in your comforter as you played Ghost of Tsushima. You were moody today, stuck with end-of-period cramps and a brother who's sole purpose in life was to make yours harder.

Zoro had already ripped the blankets off you twice and drank your ice water three times.

"Marimo, if your fat butt passes in front of my face one more time, I'm going to Kakashi you."

"What, like this?" The idiot took a wide stance right in the way, blocking your screen view completely. You clasped your hands together, pointers sticking up and flat against each other, before jabbing them upright into his ass. He let out an unmanly yelp, scrambling away while you chortled at his irritated face. "What the fuck?"

"I warned you! Ha- ow," your giggles turned to winces as the cramps flared, curling even further into yourself. "Jesus, can you please refill my water?"

"No! You just jabbed me in the asshole!"

"Please?"

"No, fuck you."

Thirsty as hell, but too lazy to get up, you resigned to giving the green haired bully a distasteful glare. You picked up your controller and continued making Jin slaughter the Mongols, which would have been therapeutic had you not been playing on Hard mode. You'd made a new save that wasn't your Legends playthrough, because you'd yet die in the one and didn't want to sully that streak over a few bellyaches.

"Hey, Sabo is here for you."

"What?" You looked up, catching the cerulean eye of your best friend. "Bo-chan! I thought you went on vacation?"

"Summer house got flooded so we came home early." The blond grinned widely, sneaking up to sit himself at your head. You lifted yourself to lean over his thighs, not daring to uncurl lest your gut decide to stab you for it. "What quest are you on?"

"The one where you save Lady Misako's lover, Mia." You frowned at that, unpausing to go and collect the quest items as you needed too. "That's so freaking sad."

"I think you're just emotional." Sabo supplied dryly and with a small laugh, which made you pout. He shuffled to pull out his phone, and waited for you to finish the quest before sticking a pamphlet in your face. "Look what I found in the office."

"Hm?" You paused the game again, brows scrunched as you looked over the foldable. "Paradise City Art Comp?"

"I think you should enter." Sabo spoke gently because he knew you'd glare at him, that disapproving glower that showed how unimpressed you were. "Please? It would be good for you to get a little exposure."

"I'm not an artist, Bo-chan." You frowned and tossed the folded paper on the coffee table. "And I'm not interested in competitions."

"Why not?"

"Because my self esteem is already low enough," You scoffed, wiggling to get comfortable where you were. "I don't need to go comparing myself to others, or stressing over wether or not what I make is good enough."

"___, your work is always good enough." He shook his head softly. "Don't sell yourself short."

"The art world isn't like the literary one." A huff escaped your chest, eyes trained on the screen as you made Jin climb a mountain to reach a charm. "I mean, it sorta is? But it's worse. Everyone has something to say about what you've made and I just don't think I can handle it. I'm a people pleaser, I want everyone to like it."